Wire opening container



March 14, 1944. w. F. PUNTE WIRE OPENING CONTAINER Filed Sept. 15, I 1941 f/vwsmrafi mm F231;;

'movable loop which serves as Patented Mar. 14, 1944 WIRE OPENING CONTAIN William F. Punte, Syracuse, N. Y.,' assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation 01' New York Application September 1-5,- 1941, Serial No..410,921

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new. and useful improvements in containers, and more particularly to improvements in a container having an improved wire opening device associated therewith.

According to the present invention, the body portion of the container may be of any suitable shape and carries an opening device in the form of an endless wire which is disposed and maintained exteriorly around the top end of the container immediately adjacent the cover. After the wire is assembled around the container, the container is filled and the cover applied thereto with the peripheral edges of the cover curled over and beneath the wire. A suitable sealing material may be employed so as to effect a hermetic sealmg of the container. Such a container may be conveniently employed for holding various food products, such as sardines or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a container of the above type having an endless wire disposed around the body portion and provided with a readily accessible gripping portion by which the wire may be pulled outwardly so as to strip the cover from the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container of the above type wherein the body wallis provided with a peripheral recess within which the opening wire is disposed and whereiri the spaced tongues on the body portion are employed for maintaining the wire in position prior to the application of the cover thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container of the above type wherein the peripheral edge of the cover is curled over the holding tongues and the wire so as to seal the container when it is filled and ready for shipment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a container of the above type wherein the endless opening wire extends entirely around the container and isprovided with a readily accessible a finger grip for pulling the wire and stripping the cover from the container.

The above and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the container.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the container showing the opening wire in cover removed.

position and the.

Figure 4 is a similar end elevation showing the cover applied to the container.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view, taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the connection between the cover flange and the body portion.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the container is illustrated as including a body portion H) which is substantially rectangular in shape although it is to be clearly understood that the body portion may be of any desired configuration. The upper edge of the body portion is directed inwardly, as at H, and then out wardly, as at l2, to provide a peripheral holding recess for the opening wire 12. The outwardly directed portion l2 provides an outward lip portion which extends only peripherally over the upper partof the wire 13. This lip portion I2 is provided with spaced tongues l4 which are extended to further envelop the wire. 13. These tongues l4 thus constitute holding elements which cooperate with the peripheral recess to maintain the wire l3 in position around the open end of the container.

The opening wire l3 extends entirely around the container and is preferably formed in endless lengths so that it cannot be withdrawn from the holding recess. As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the wire is is crossed at one end of the container to provide a loop l5 which serves as a finger grip in removing the cover l6 from the container. This loop I5 is extended downwardly along the end of the body portion so thatit is readily accessible for opening the container..

The cover I6 is provided with a depressed central panel portion I! which fits withinthe inner edge of the peripheral recessed portion around the open end of the body portion andthe peripheral edge of the cover is directed upwardly, as at l8, and then downwardly, as at l9. to provide a peripheral flange. This peripheral fiange'is adapted to fit over the lip l2 on the body wall and free edge l9 thereof is adapted to be curled under the wire l3, as particularly shown in Figure 6. Thus, the edge l9of the cover completely encloses the lip l2 on the body portion and also the holding tongues ll and the crimping of this edge to engage the wire l3 serves to securely hold the cover in position. If desired, a suitable form of packing may be employed between the adjacent edges of the body wall and the cover flange so as to efl'ect a hermetic sealing of the container. The leg portions I50, 15b of the loop l5 may, if desired, be reduced in cross section where they cross although the loop i5 may be formed without crossing the leg portions in this manner. In the region where the loop i5 joins the pullout wire II, the cover flange I9 is suitably shaped, as at Isa, in order to permit the wire loop to be downwardly extended.

The opening wire I3 is first assembled with the body portion or the container and then the container is filled. The cover is is then applied and secured in the manner indicated above. When it is desired to open the container, the fin ger loop may be grasped and pulled outwardly and then upwardly. During this upward pulling of the opening wire [3, the holding lugs M will be forced outwardly with the cover flange so as to conveniently strip the cover from the container and permit access to the contents thereof. While one form of the invention has been shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be clearly understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sheet metal container comprising a body having the upper edge of the side walls thereof bent inwardly and outwardly to form a recess. a cover stripping member disposed in said recess and extending all the way around the body. said body wall having projecting lugs overlying ,said stripping member for holding the same in said recess, said stripping member between a pair or holding lugs having 9. depending portion normally extending downwardly adjacent the side wall or the container body, a cover for said container having a depending flange adapted to be bent sufliciently beneath the lugs and stripping member for flnnly securing the cover to the container, body, said cover flange being disposed so as to'engage said depending portion of the stripping member whereby when said depending portion is turned from a position adjacent the side wall toward a position approximating right angles thereto said cover will be forced on from the container body.

2. A sheet metal container comprising a body having straight sides and rounded corners, the upper edge portion of said body being bent inwardly and outwardly to form a recess, a cover stripping wire disposed in said recess and extending all the way around the body, said body wall having projecting lugs'for holding the stripping wire in the recess, said stripping wire between a pair of holding lugs being bent into loop form with a loop normally extending downwardly adjacent the side wall of the container body, a cover for said container having a depending flange adapted to be bent sufiiciently beneath the lugs and stripping wire for firmly securing the cover to the container body, said cover flange being disposed so as to engage said depending portion or the stripping wire whereby when said depending portion is turned from a position adjacent the side wall toward a position approximating right angles thereto said cover will be forced oil from the container body.

WILLIAM F. PUNTE. 

